NYU Students Protest Band Ching Chong Song

Rebecca
February 15, 2007

NYU students protested a Valentine's Day performance by the band Ching Chong Song, whose two members are white. The band has changed their name as a result, although this has yet to be reflected on their website.

Which ching chong song could they have been referring to? The Wikipedia entry on 'ching chong' includes some possibilities.

In response to the cancellation of a show at Bryn Mawr, band member Julia LaMendola wrote an open letter to the school newspaper.
In it, she claims that those who complained about her band's name took an unsophisticated approach: "Let's not use misunderstanding as armor against the complicated nature of life. Don't polarize shit when there are so many shades of sexuality and ethnicity to appreciate." Apparently she is able to take this stance because was the "child of a gay parent in a tiny town, a poor second-generation Italian girl, I also have experience with the nuances of language. And give me a break you stupid twats." She continues, "By the way, 'ching chang chong' is what people in Germany call the game paper rock scissors, and stupid petty retards is what I'm calling you."

Well, I call her the paragon of sensibility.

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Comments

Comments

Chad Breuer wrote on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 8:47am
Me being from German decent, I am offended that Clair commented on how "German's are racist against Asians". What a horrible thing to say. Furthermore she posted it like she's the innocent one. I know Julie from way back and she is the farthest thing from being racist. This whole thing makes me sick. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Please stop the hate and enjoy the music. If you would listen to the music you would see there is nothing racist about it.
claire wrote on Thu, 02/15/2007 - 6:08pm
i don't know where she got that about rock, paper, scissors in germany, but i've never heard that. nevertheless, if it is a regional or slang usage, it's also racist. germans are very racist about asians.
Reyes-Chow wrote on Fri, 02/16/2007 - 7:57am
nice response to having you crap called out, now i know we all have our blind spots, but come on, "ching chong?"
Doretta wrote on Tue, 02/20/2007 - 9:48am
Hmm, I can't decide whether being called a "stupid twat" is worse than being subjected to the music of Ching Chong Song.But what I did learn from the letter is that I'm just not clever enough to follow the enlightened thoughts of the oh-so-witty and talented Julia LaMendola.
Henry wrote on Thu, 02/05/2009 - 11:50pm
How can you seriously consider her one of the sweetest people you have met after her comment? There was nothing sweet about her comment."Don't polarize shit when there are so many shades of sexuality and ethnicity to appreciate." Apparently she is able to take this stance because was the "child of a gay parent in a tiny town, a poor second-generation Italian girl, I also have experience with the nuances of language. And give me a break you stupid twats."I honestly, don't think that in anyway was nice or sweet. Especially all of the negative things she said.
Congee wrote on Fri, 02/06/2009 - 5:27am
You obviously don't know Julie well enough then to realize that A) she's pretty self centered and B) she's pretty pissed about this whole situation. We live in a world of multi diverse culture and yet to not understand how the term "Ching Chong" is referred to us "Asians" and pretend to be ignorant about it hits the spot about ignorance in our generation. Now why doesn't Julia just call her band the Kitty Kat Klub and abbreviate it. I'm sure no one would take it offensively and if they do, they're just a bunch of stupid twats.
Luciana wrote on Mon, 05/21/2007 - 2:01pm
I really like your music and I agreed with you.
Chad Breuer wrote on Sun, 02/15/2009 - 8:16am
What she said was taken out of context. She was probably pissed because she's being attacked from all sides over, what is obviously, a misunderstanding. I was very close friends with her for years. I know her, you only know what you read. Trust me when I say there is nothing racist about her.